Confess
by WeAllFlyHigh
Summary: Oh. Ooooh. When had that started? Arthur wasn't…it wasn't like that. Alfred had never given their relationship a definition. It had seemed so pointless. He wanted Arthur and Arthur hadn't denied him. What more was there to say? Sequel to Morally Suspect


AN: This is part of the Duplicate series and I do recommend reading at least Duplicate before reading this.

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_Six Months Ago_

"Ah….what's this?" Alfred asked. He sat on their new couch with a box he had not shaken because "it's extremely fragile." He cupped a small ball of living fur in his palms.

He and Mathew had mostly unpacked their new apartment by the time their parents had sent Arthur to give the place a final once over. Why they had put him in charge of ensuring it was a safe and healthy environment this late into moving was unknown to the two university students. Although they did know that the chances of their parents pulling the plug on their school plans were very low.

The Doctor had spent the night at his hotel room before arriving bright and early with two boxes cradled in his arms. Alfred had been the only one awake, as he always woke up before Mathew and went to bed later, probably due to his unique biology. Arthur's lips had barely curled upward at the sight of his young…whatever he was.

"It's a cat obviously," Arthur answered.

"Yeah…I can see that. Why?"

"It's a present." Arthur's nose twitched and the rest of his face went still. His expression began to harden into careful indifference.

"Yeah I got that. The wrapping paper and you saying 'I got you a house warming gift' was a big clue."

"Do you not like it?"

Alfred peered at the ball of fluff with eyes. It was cute. The kitten yawned its entire face disappearing behind tiny rows of teeth. It was very cute. It was so cute it was probably evil.

He looked up at Arthur. His face may be blank, but his eyes were flashing. He was trying to seem like he didn't care. If Alfred made one wrong move he would blow and Mattie wasn't awake to shame the doctor into being kinder. "I'm confused."

"What is there to be confused by?" Arthur's eyes were narrowing into an icy glare. His chin tilted up into a holier than thou angle. Ok there may be no saving himself at this point. Alfred didn't know if souls existed and if they did, if he had one. But it was obviously time to pray for his. Well, might as well dig the whole a little deeper then.

"Like everything. Why did you get us a cat? You already gave us presents before we left. And why a cat? He's cute though. Wait, is he a he?" He lifted the furball higher and turned him around. The kitten protested loudly and wiggling helplessly.

"Be careful!" Arthur adopted his I'm lecturing you very seriously stance, crossing an arm over his chest and lifting a hand to demonstrate his point. "Having a pet can be very beneficial to your health."

"Why only one?" Before Arthur could answer there was a shuffling noise from the doorway. Alfred craned his head backwards. His glasses were crooked, not that it interfered with his vision. His eyes would have to be open for that. "Hey Mattie, Arthur got us a furball."

Mathew's head swayed in Alfred's direction. "If I can't eat it, it can wait."

Alfred smiled. "He brought breakfast too."

_Present _

Alfred swished the cat toy from the right to the left. Hero's head followed the feathers. Back and forth. Swish and swish. It was just them tonight. Mathew was out with his boyfriend. Not just out for the night. Not huddling up in the dormitories. No. Mathew was out of the city for the whole weekend meeting Gilbert's parents. And that was just wonderful. Their relationship was going perfectly. And Alfred was happy for him. No really, he was happy.

He was also annoyed.

Alfred was fine with being left home alone. Even though this was literally the first time in their lives that they weren't together. Mathew didn't want to introduce their respective parents, which Alfred totally got. And he didn't want to lie to them if they asked him if Alfred was his twin. He hadn't asked permission to date and therefore Gilbert hadn't gone through the promised extensive background and fanciness test to determine his suitability. So, Alfred had given a vow of silence on the subject and was left alone. Hence the pajama pants Alfred hadn't taken off all day and the cat cutting off his circulation.

Alfred scratched Hero behind his ears. His chest rumbled. Health benefits, Arthur had said. More specifically; lower blood pressure, decrease loneliness, and better sleep. In fact, some British women said they preferred sleeping with a cat rather than their partners. Alfred had done his research even if he couldn't understand that sentiment. If Arthur were here, he would…

Alfred blinked and straightened his back. Oh. Ooooh. When had that started? Arthur wasn't…it wasn't like that. Alfred had never given their relationship a definition. It had seemed so pointless. He wanted Arthur and Arthur hadn't denied him. What more was there to say? But regardless of what they were or had been, there was nothing stopping him from calling Arthur.

No actually some things were. He never called anyone. He only ever talked to their parents when Mathew had already called them. He could text. But what to say? A million options flittered through his head. All of them sounding too desperate or sentimental or pathetic. He decided to keep it simple and truthful.

I need you.

_Nine Hours Later_

A cool electronic voice broadcast to the apartment, "Guest arrived. Identification: Dr. Arthur Kirkland."

Alfred moved Hero off his lap. He did not make it easy. Hero dug his claws into Alfred's leg and cried pitifully. After a considerable amount of wiggling and prying of claws, Alfred headed to the door.

He arrived in time to see Arthur step inside. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes were burning with focus. He looked the same way when he was about to begin an experiment, his scalpel flashing as brightly as his eyes.

Alfred leaned his hip on the kitchen doorway. "Hey."

"Alfred. Take off your shirt." Alfred blinked in surprise but obeyed.

Arthur set his briefcase on their kitchen table with a clang. He flicked it open and pulled out a pair of white rubber gloves. Then he set out and unwrapped his tool kit. Needles, medical tweezers, and surgical knives gleamed under the lights. Alfred's breath hitched. The sight drew him forward.

"What are your symptoms?"

Alfred felt the urge to laugh. "None."

"Very well." Arthur nodded, picked up a scalpel, and readied a syringe.

Alfred hopped onto the kitchen counter. "Hey Artie, I think we've talked about this before, but I'm really not into doctor play or whatever it's called."

Arthur halted. The needle in his hand tilted up and down in his loose grip. His head slowly turned to look at Alfred. "Alfred, just what did you call be here for?"

"I wanted to see you."

"You wanted to…" Alfred could hear him take a deep breath from across the room. "I took the company jet to get here." Arthur's voice was strained as he tried to appear like he was in control of himself. "I took the company jet with no notice to anyone, because I believed that I was needed for an important, possibly life-threatening, medical situation." His volume climbed higher and higher. "It was not my intention to use company assets for a glorified booty call."

"Artie-"

"Furthermore, I am not having sex with you in this apartment," he yelled. He began packing his tools with the same practiced precision he had used to retrieve them, but none of the calm.

Alfred knocked his feet off the counter. "Isn't getting a hotel when there's a perfectly good bed here a waste of company assets?"

"Mathew could arrive home at any time," he snapped.

"No he won't. He's at his boyfriend's."

"Boyfriend?" Arthur's eyes widened. All of a sudden his anger was gone and Alfred had his full eager attention again. Oh joy. That's exactly what he had planned for tonight, gossiping about Mattie's love life. His stomach soured at the sight even though he knew Arthur's attention was more paternal.

Alfred looked out the window as if the view of concrete and skyscrapers that he saw daily was the most spell binding sight on the planet. "Yep they're kinda cute together. He's been a good influence and all that. Mattie's been happy and confident and stuff." He looked back at Arthur. "Don't tell him I said that."

"Oh. Oh, well that is…" His expressions flickered between excited, pleased, and very, very worried. He winced. "Your parents don't know."

"'Course not. And we're not going to tell them."

"Oh, we're not?" Arthur raised a thick eyebrow. Alfred knew it wasn't the decision he objected to but that Alfred had decided it.

"Nope. It would be extremely hypocritical. So instead, we're going to go back to my bedroom and enjoy a little privacy."

Arthur cocked his head to the side. "Oh, are we?"

_An Hour Later _

Arthur's head lolled to the side. "Your parents are going to ask questions."

"Mary Ann will cover for us," Alfred murmured. He was warm and satisfied. He shifted his hips and burrowed his face into the soft pillow below him.

"Mary Ann? Since when did you start calling your mother by her name?" The blankets pooled at his waist as Arthur sat up. "More importantly, what makes you say that?"

Alfred rolled his shoulder. "Well she knows."

Arthur threw the blankets off himself. Then scrambled off the bed. They fell mostly on Alfred's face. Arthur hopped on one foot and then the other as he frantically pulled on his pants. As if it would change anything. "She knows? Since when?"

Alfred rolled his eyes and then his whole body so he could watch. "Since before it even started."

Arthur's eyes rise form the scattered piles of clothing to Alfred's eyes. He managed to keep his voice steady and calm as he plucked his shirt off the floor. "Are you sure? Why would she not do something about it?"

"Because she's afraid of me." Arthur froze. His shirt was up over his head, covering his face. He slowly drew it back off. It dragged his hair upwards, further ruffling it into an untamable mess. Alfred waited until their eyes met again.

"I'm not going to explain if you interrupt." Arthur nodded.

"I guess she just realized one day that I'm actually her son. Like before she thought of me as… a thing that protected Mathew, an employee or something, but now I'm hers."

Arthur's eyes closed as he sighed. "You would think that would help things." He rubbed his temples to prepare himself for the headache that was the Jones-Williams family dynamics.

"What did I say about interrupting," he said as he kicked the blankets away. He continued on despite the interruption. "She's a smart lady. She knows how people work; what they'll do when they're desperate and backed into a corner or consumed by desire. She's good at getting them to do what she wants. And she doesn't care how she gets it done."

Arthur sat down on the bed. He placed his hand on Alfred's leg, rubbing his thumb soothingly along his skin. "And you're her son."

"And she's afraid of what I'd do if I decided I desperately wanted something. Let's say something like, I don't know, maybe control of the company." His voice turned bitter and he did not try to stop it. He didn't try to pretend it didn't piss him off. "Mathew is really the only thing standing in my way. Plus, she's introduced us to a ton of politicians, maybe I'll run for office. What would you do if you were President, Arthur? You'd have access to the nuclear codes. It's just something to think of."

Arthur let the silence grow giving the nightmares Mrs. Williams-Jones imagined take form. "So, she…what sacrificed me to you? Manipulated me into being your plaything? Your distraction?" Alfred rolled, pulling himself closer to Arthur until he was curled around him. He lay his head in Arthur's lap and looked up at him.

"Are you mad about it? If it makes you feel better, she thinks you're a very good distraction. You may even keep me from doing some very terrible things like truly mad science or-" Alfred yelped when Arthur pinched him. He rubbed at the reddening spot. "When it comes down to it, she isn't sure how much humanity I have in me and she had so little to pass on. But I think she's wrong."

"Yes, I'm well aware of how I've failed to keep you on the straight and narrow." He pressed a finger to an old surgical scar from one of Alfred's earlier experiments.

Alfred swatted his hand away. "That's not what I meant."

"Yes, well I'm sure you'll go on all day about this if allowed to and as your doctor I don't recommend it."

Alfred huffed. "That's your professional opinion, I shouldn't think about it."

"I said you should not dwell on it. Your…," his voice dropped to a whisper, as if he was sharing a deadly secret. "I don't think your parents have ever understood you."

Alfred hummed, nuzzling Arthur's stomach. He pressed a kiss there. Then another to the edge of his pants. "Want to know a secret?"

"Are you going to take over the world?" Arthur teased.

"I like you." Arthur's breath hitched.

_Some Time Later_

The light was fading from the sky when Alfred spoke again. "Hey Artie, I have a question about why you got us a cat."

"Oh God, not this again," Arthur groaned.

Alfred poked Arthur in the side. Arthur barely moved. Alfred dragged his finger down Arthur's ribs. "You got him just for me."

Arthur turned his head away. Alfred smiled at the sight. Arthur always acted as if nothing bothered him or failing that, that everything annoyed him. It was so cute. "That isn't a question."

"Because it's not. Did you think it would drive me crazy trying to figure out why you got him or did you think that he would make me think of you without the mystery?"

Arthur shifted until he faced Arthur. He lazily moved his hand to Alfred's face, brushing golden strands away. He looked into his lover's blue eyes. "Does it matter?"

Alfred smiled softly at him. "Not really. I missed you either way."

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AN: Thank you or your time and if you have some to spare please review.


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